The Guard became increasingly tethered to the goals of Caedus, who envisioned himself at the head of a New Order ruling over the galaxy. In order to consolidate his power over the Alliance, Caedus made the Guard responsible for transferring millions of prisoners to concentration camps; he also placed civilian systems under state control and took direct leadership of the military from Niathal following their alliance's collapse during the Second Battle of Fondor. Although Caedus lost the support of his cousin and CaptainLon Shevu, the Guard as a whole remained loyal to him and even gained another Force-sensitiveofficer as a replacement for Skywalker—the Jedi Knight Tahiri Veila, who became Caedus' Sith apprentice and a lieutenant in the Guard.

Contents

"No, I need my own team… that's visibly separate from CSF. If civilian police are seen raiding homes and rounding up residents, it's going to make ordinary policing hard. Politically, it has to be separate—a Galactic Alliance special guard, if you like."

The Guard's primary mission profile was simple and straightforward: arrest and detain anyone who was either confirmed or suspected traitors to the Galactic Alliance. Millions of beings—ranging from citizens guilty of seditious chatter to Corellian terrorists and Confederate insurgents—were found guilty of treason, and therefore transferred by GAG to concentration camps. Droid technology was extensively utilized in the Guard's surveillance network, which was spread throughout civilian and even government systems. In addition to the specially-trained GAG troopers, which included spies, assassins and special ops commandos, an array of droid brains and combat drones were utilized by the Guard, both to monitor subversive HoloNet sources and suppress armed insurrectionists. The Guard's special operations units, such as 967 Commando, were deployed to various locations throughout the galacticcapital and generally wherever anti-Alliance activities took place. As such, GAG troopers were equipped with a combination of riot and combat weaponry,[8] mainly for either non-lethal or lethal purposes, depending on the nature of the mission.[2] They were also equipped with sensor devices called Noses, which would be attached to the back of a gauntlet, and would blink red and orange when detecting something.[1] Their strategy was rapid entry; dropships entered a target zone and off-loaded soldiers with orders to subdue insurgents and apprehend any survivors. The same tactic was used consistently with little alteration, regardless if their targets were enemy combatants, unarmed protesters, neutral civilians, or hostage takers and their prisoners.[8]

Although the Galactic Alliance Guard was issued with state-of-the-art technology, its own technological superiority could be exploited and transformed into a fatal weakness by ion weaponry and signal jammers. Such inherent weaknesses in GAG's system was inherited from the Galactic Alliance's intelligence, military and police organizations, all of which had spent more than thirty years fighting primitive warlords and aliens, none of whom posed a major threat to the Alliance's primacy. As a consequence of lacking a true rival, the Alliance grew complacent and overconfident in its technology, and was thus unprepared to counter the Confederation's anti-sensor weapons and sabotage tactics. Such flaws were passed on to the Guard, which only perpetuated the same mistakes that jeopardized Alliance security in the first place.[8]

As Darth Caedus, he seized control of the government with the support of GAG, albeit within the range of constitutional legality via numerous amendments and legal loopholes in the system.[10] With Caedus's elevation to Chief of State and his accumulation of dictatorial powers, the Guard effectively replaced the state, but also proved to be a detriment to effective government due to the fact that its upper command structure was designed for overseeing infantry battle groups rather than running the daily affairs of a galactic power.[8]

"You have to keep the secret police separate from the nice, polite officers who police the street. Sends a message that ordinary law-abiding Coruscanti have nothing to fear, while demonstrating maximum force to the enemy."

In the wake of a series of terrorist attacks on Coruscant in 40 ABY, Chief of State Cal Omas and SenatorG'vli G'Sil spearheaded the creation of the secret police force known as the Galactic Alliance Guard. Leadership of the Guard was initially offered to the JediMara Jade Skywalker, a former Emperor's Hand and the wife of Grand MasterLuke Skywalker. When she declined the offer due to the Jedi Order's opposition to the government's sanctioning of secret police tactics, Jacen Solo accepted leadership of GAG, along with the military rank of colonel. However, Omas had also unwittingly placed the secret police under the command of an aspiring Sith Lord,[1] as Solo had secretly disavowed his allegiance to the Jedi by becoming the Sith apprentice of the Dark Lady Lumiya.[11] Disgusted by the prospect of yet another galactic civil war, Solo had become disillusioned with the Jedi Order, of which he perceived as ineffective in its efforts to maintain the stability of the Galactic Alliance. Ultimately, he was convinced that the only way to achieve a lasting era of order and peace was by embracing the dark side of the Force, like his grandfather before him, but for more selfless reasons. With Lumiya's guidance and the backing of GAG, Solo committed himself to the cause of building a new order at any cost.[1]

Colonel Solo was not the only Jedi who joined the Galactic Alliance Guard despite the Order's refusal to be associated with the secret police. Much to the chagrin of the Jedi High Council, Solo's thirteen year-old cousin Ben Skywalker, son of Luke and Mara Jade Skywalker, became a junior lieutenant in the Guard. In addition to its two Jedi officers, GAG personnel was highly diverse; numerous members were handpicked by Solo from various branches of intelligence and military organizations. CaptainLon Shevu was a CSF police officer before joining the Guard; he disapproved of the Colonel's hardline methods, but nevertheless remained loyal to the chain of command. Heol Girdun, another GAG officer, previously served as an intelligence operative under the New Republic. He specialized in advanced interrogation techniques and surveillance. CorporalJori Lekauf was the grandson of Erv Lekauf, an Imperial officer who faithfully served under Darth Vader's command. Inspired by his grandfather, the younger Lekauf joined the Guard and became one of Jacen Solo's most loyal soldiers. Their different past affiliations aside, all members of the Guard were Coruscant-born Humans—patriotic citizens of the Alliance with no association with Corellia and its fellow subversiveworlds.[1]

Shortly after their formation, various GAG special forces units were deployed throughout the many districts of Coruscant, particularly the areas with a heavy concentration of Corellian inhabitants. Colonel Solo and Lieutenant Skywalker participated in several raids alongside the GAG troopers of 967 Commando. Despite the continued opposition of the Jedi Order and civilian protesters, the Guard's preemptive methods were largely successful at deterring further terrorist attacks against Coruscant. Some of GAG's missions were recorded and displayed on HoloNet News; their enforcement of the government's counter-terrorism policy was supported by many Coruscanti citizens who hailed Jacen Solo as a hero of the Alliance. Grand AdmiralGilad Pellaeon, however, shared the Jedi Council's distrust of the Guard. He thus resigned his commission as Supreme Commander of the Galactic Alliance Defense Force. Secret police was one aspect of the Old Empire that disgusted Pellaeon, and was hence abolished as part of the reforms he introduced into the Imperial Remnant. Though Solo remained popular with much of the Alliance citizenry, his detractors began drawing comparisons between GAG troopers and stormtroopers. For some, the Guard was an omen that the Galactic Alliance was evolving into a new Galactic Empire.[1]

Ben Skywalker, a junior lieutenant in the Galactic Alliance Guard

Within the Guard itself, Solo was immensely popular with the rank-and-file troops, many of whom became personally loyal to the Colonel. Like Vader, Solo never issued orders that he wasn't willing to carry out himself. He preferred to lead by example, often serving alongside the GAG troopers in hazardous situations. His willingness to endure the same hardships in a constant struggle against terrorism endeared him to the Guard. In further recognition of his association with the Guard, and by extension his gradual disassociation with the Jedi Order, Solo discarded his Jedi apparel in favor of a GAG uniform, complemented with black robes and a cloak.

In order to counter the increasing threats of Corellia's secessionist movement, GAG was authorized to intern, deport and interrogate its suspects; a duty that they executed with brutal efficiency. Furthermore, they were given the authority to monitor civilian activities for terrorists, insurgents and generally anyone who could be construed as a traitor to the Galactic Alliance.[1] The extent of their surveillance network extended to certain branches within the government itself, particularly the elected dignitaries of the Galactic Alliance Senate.[2] Colonel Solo occasionally oversaw interrogation sessions where he utilized his Force abilities to coerce detainees into compliance. During one incident, Solo inadvertently killed a prisoner, a bounty hunter named Ailyn Vel, who had been hired to assassinate Solo and his parents, Han and Leia Solo.[1]

Ultimately, reconciliation efforts between the Galactic Alliance and the Corellian-led separatists proved unsuccessful, culminating in the failed blockade of Corellia and the ensuing Second Galactic Civil War. Colonel Jacen Solo took an active role in the Alliance's war strategy, and utilized the Guard's resources to undermine the Confederation's efforts to secede from the Alliance by military force. Due to the expansion of the Guard's role, which was previously limited to enforcing domestic security on Coruscant, a modified Imperial II-class Star Destroyer was commissioned as a GAG mobile base of operations. The starship was subsequently named the Anakin Solo in honor of the Colonel's late brother, much to the vexation of the members of his family.[5]

The Anakin Solo was first deployed into combat at the Battle of Hapes where Colonel Solo coordinated Alliance forces alongside the Hapan Military. At the same time, Han and Leia Solo were falsely implicated in a failed assassination attempt on Queen MotherTenel Ka Djo, the leader of the Hapes Consortium and mother of his secret child, Allana. Convinced that both were guilty, and possibly meant to be sacrificed in his ascendency as a Sith Lord, Solo declared them traitors to the Alliance. During the battle, he ordered one of the Anakin Solo's long-range turbolasers to open fire on the Millennium Falcon. His mother's Noghribodyguards were killed by the attack, and the Falcon sustained heavy damage before escaping their son's Star Destroyer through hyperspace. Solo later discovered that Dur Gejjen, the Corellian Prime Minister of the Five Worlds, was the true culprit behind the attempt on Djo's life. Nevertheless, the Colonel refused to rescind the arrest warrants, choosing to maintain his parents on the Guard's most wanted list on the grounds that they were still guilty of initially aiding the Confederation against the Galactic Alliance.[5]

As Lumiya continued to guide Jacen Solo through his development as a Sith Lord, the master and her apprentice both considered Lieutenant Ben Skywalker as a possible future apprentice for Solo. Before a final decision could be made, however, they decided that Skywalker's susceptibility to the dark side of the Force had to be tested. He was dispatched on a covert GAG mission that eventually led him to Ziost where Skywalker discovered a Sith Meditation Sphere known as the Ship. Upon returning to the Anakin Solo, he presented the vessel to Colonel Solo, who then gave it to Lumiya.[12]

As the Civil War escalated into a stalemate between the Galactic Alliance and the Confederation, Chief of State Omas and Colonel Solo became antagonized by one another in regard to the Alliance's overall strategy. However, the crisis of rebellion worked in Solo's favor, in that it motivated the Senate to legislate emergency-level amendments to the Constitution, thereby permitting the Guard's surveillance network to expand into government systems. GAG spies closely monitored high-ranking officials, including the Chief of State, and were on the lookout for any signs of treachery. The new security protocol enabled Solo to discover a secret meeting between Omas and Gejjen on Vulpter, in which parties considered the possibility of a cease fire under certain concessions which included the removal of Jacen Solo from power. Lieutenant Skywalker monitored and recorded the conversation, shortly before killing Gejjen with a sniper rifle. Before Skywalker, Shevu, and Lekauf could return to Coruscant, the GAG trio was discovered and forced to defend themselves against the Vulpter spaceport security forces. Lekauf, who had only recently been promoted to the rank of lieutenant, sacrificed his life so that his comrades could escape to safety. Before his death, he claimed to be a Corellian extremist in order to hide the Guard's involvement in the assassination of Gejjen.[2]

Utilizing the evidence that incriminated Omas, Colonel Jacen Solo formed an alliance with AdmiralCha Niathal, who succeeded Pellaeon as Supreme Commander of the Galactic Alliance Defense Force. Like Solo, she was also a political opponent to Omas, and harbored ambitions to replace him as the next Chief of State. Through the constitutional amendments, the Galactic Alliance Guard had the authority to overthrow the Chief of State if he had proven to be a security risk to the Galactic Alliance. Colonel Solo, accompanied by two GAG troopers, SergeantWirut and Trooper Limm, marched into Omas's office at the Executive Building on Coruscant and promptly arrested him on the grounds of high treason for conspiring with the enemies of the Galactic Alliance, namely the Confederate rebellion and their terrorist supporters.[2]

Lumiya utilized GAG resources to aid in her apprentice's training.

With former Chief of State Cal Omas under house arrest, Solo and Niathal quickly seized control of the government. After allaying the fears of the senators, many of whom initially interpreted the act as a military takeover, the Senate agreed to the temporary installment of a duumvirate, in which the Office of the Chief of State was shared by Niathal and Solo, both of whom had been appointed as Joint Chief of State Number One and Joint Chief of State Number Two respectively. By and large, the government and the citizenry accepted the rule of the Solo-Niathal regime, which was also supported by GAG and the Defense Force, and thus ensured that the coup d'état was a smooth and bloodless transition of power.[2]

Not long after Omas's fall from power, Mara Jade Skywalker confronted Jacen Solo after she learned of his secret ties to Lumiya's Sith Order. Ben Skywalker overheard a conversation between his cousin and the Dark Lady of the Sith, neither of whom detected the young Jedi's presence due to his use of Force stealth, an ability to conceal one's own presence in the Force. The distraught Skywalker revealed his discovery to his mother, who unilaterally decided to confront her nephew with an ultimatum: abandon the dark side and return to the Jedi Order for rehabilitation, or die as a Sith. Solo declined her offer without acknowledging her accusations, and Jade Skywalker ultimately decided to murder him.[2]

She ambushed her nephew on Kavan, convinced that the former Jedi was beyond any hope for redemption. Solo fought back in self-defense, culminating in an intense lightsaber duel in which both opponents utilized a variety of Force attacks and combat techniques. Her attempt on his life not only eliminated Solo's lingering doubts about his commitment to the Sith, but also convinced him that his aunt was meant to be sacrificed as part of the final stage in his evolution as a Sith Lord. In the end, Mara Jade Skywalker was fatally wounded by one of Solo's poison darts, and thus died as her body succumbed to the weapon's toxin. Solo's destiny as the new Dark Lord of the Sith was realized, and Lumiya chose to make her own sacrifice. She falsely claimed credit for Jade Skywalker's death, knowing that the Jedi Order would hunt her, thus providing Solo with time to consolidate his new role. She was subsequently murdered by a vengeful Luke Skywalker, who was later horrified to discover that he killed the wrong person in cold blood.[2]

As the sole remaining member of his late master's Order, the Dark Lord of the Sith contemplated the fulfillment of his metamorphosis, and concluded that he was no longer the same person who had been born as "Jacen Solo." Believing himself to be freed of his former persona, he became even more resolved to constructing a new era of true order and tranquility for the galaxy. After briefly gazing at his reflection in the black visor of a GAG helmet, the Dark Lord named himself "Darth Caedus."[2]

On Coruscant, Darth Caedus—disguised in the facade of his former persona as Colonel Jacen Solo—attended the funeral of Mara Jade Skywalker at the Jedi Temple. After the ceremony, he feigned interest in Luke Skywalker's proposal for reconciliation, mainly because Jedi support was crucial to the Dark Lord's strategy for a Galactic Alliance decisive victory over the Confederation. At the same time, Caedus anticipated that his fugitive parents would attend the funeral, and thus he instructed a contingent of GAG troopers to infiltrate the Temple and arrest them on sight. Despite the trap he had set for them, both elder Solos managed to escape from the Guard, injuring several troopers in the process.[4]

Caedus also suspected that the Jedi Order's commitment to the Galactic Alliance's cause was wavering, and so he sought to force their continued compliance by occupying the OssusJedi Praxeum with a battalion of the Galactic Alliance Guard. Led by MajorSalle Serpa, the GAG troopers were under orders to hold the Jedi students as hostages. Jaina Solo, Caedus's twin sister, realized that the Guard's presence was not to provide security for the Praxeum, but rather to exterminate the students if the Order became disloyal. She also suspected that Serpa had been selected to lead the GAG task force because of his personal loyalty to the Colonel and his eagerness to kill all of the Jedi on Ossus.[4]

Meanwhile, the Anakin Solo led the Galactic Alliance Fifth Fleet in the defense of Balmorra. The battle was a hard-fought conflict for both Alliance and Confederate forces. However, the Confederation's naval strength was augmented by a military alliance with the Hutts, leaving the Alliance in a vulnerable situation despite Caedus's use of battle meditation. With victory far from certain, Caedus ordered his fleet to inflict as much casualties as possible on the enemy, thereby disabling their ability to aid other Confederate forces at Kuat. His tactics, however, including his willingness to sacrifice Balmorra, were morally reprehensible in the opinion of the Jedi.[4]

Darth Caedus's plan to secure the Civil War with an Alliance victory depended on utilizing Luke Skywalker's squadron of Jedi StealthX wingstarfighters against the Confederate fleet. By eliminating the rebellion's military capabilities, Caedus believed that rebels would no longer be able to sustain their cause. Yet when Skywalker discovered that the Order's Ossus facility had been occupied by the Guard, the outraged Grand Master recalled his squadron and abandoned the Dark Lord in the middle of the Battle of Kuat. The Alliance gained a hard-fought Pyrrhic victory, but failed to achieve the decisive the final victory that Caedus had hoped for. Enraged by their actions, Caedus directed his forces in pursuit of the Jedi to the Wookieehomeworld of Kashyyyk.[4]

As a result of Skywalker's desertion of Caedus at Kuat, all Jedi were branded as traitors to the Galactic Alliance. The Guard deployed armed troops to the Temple on Coruscant with orders to subdue its occupants and secure the facility. The Jedi fought back, repelling GAG troopers at the main entrance until the Order's evacuation was complete. The Jedi then dispersed into hiding, leaving the Temple to GAG occupation. On Ossus, Major Serpa was ordered by Caedus to neutralize the Jedi Praxeum's inhabitants with lethal force if necessary. The Guard deployed coma gas into the dormitory rooms of the adult Jedi, but Jaina Solo managed to escape from the effects of the gas. The rest of the Jedi were herded into the Praxeum's central exercise pavilion by GAG troopers. Jedi MasterTionne Solusar threatened Serpa to stand down, but only succeeded at providing the Major with an excuse to shoot her in the leg. Master Kam Solusar tried to rescue his wife, but was shot three times by GAG snipers. Jaina Solo and Jagged Fel subdued the remaining snipers by then, and led the students in a counterattack against the Guard. In the ensuing fight, many GAG troopers were defeated by the Jedi's Force abilities; Serpa fought off several Jedi, but was severely injured after his arm was amputated by the Jedi Zekk's lightsaber. The remaining troops, disgusted by the Major's brutality, subsequently surrendered to Solo.[4]

During the setbacks on Coruscant and Ossus, Darth Caedus's fleet arrived at Kashyyyk where he demanded the Wookiees to release Skywalker and the Jedi into Alliance custody. Knowing that the proud warrior race would not likely comply, the Dark Lord took the opportunity to demonstrate the costs of committing acts of treason against the Galactic Alliance. By that time, Ben Skywalker resumed his place at Caedus's side, but—convinced that his cousin was responsible for Mara Jade Skywalker's death—secretly intended to assassinate him during the fight. At the young Skywalker's suggestion, Caedus used the Anakin Solo to launch an orbital bombardment on Kashyyyk, resulting in a massive firestorm that incinerated many Wookiee settlements, including the city of Rwookrrorro. Amidst the chaos, Skywalker moved to strike Caedus down, but failed and instead accidentally killed CommanderTwizzl. Caedus was pleased by his young cousin's initiative, and interpreted it as a sign that Skywalker could still be turned to the dark side of the Force.[4]

Skywalker was placed in the Yuuzhan VongEmbrace of Pain and tortured by his former mentor until Luke Skywalker arrived after infiltrating the Anakin Solo. The Jedi Grand Master and the Dark Lord of the Sith dueled one another, resulting in the near death of Darth Caedus. The elder Skywalker refrained from killing his nephew, however, because of his fear that the desire for revenge would lead him and his son to the dark side. Both Skywalkers escaped from the Star Destroyer, leaving Caedus to repair his injuries while trying to direct his remaining warships against the combined forces of Jedi, Wookiees, the Confederation, and the Hapes Consortium, which by then had also rebelled against Alliance authority. Although Darth Caedus and his fleet were forced to flee from Kashyyyk, the Jedi—including their Wookiee and Hapan allies—refused to join the Confederation. Instead, the Order formed a coalition with a specific agenda to eliminate Darth Caedus; unlike the Confederation, secession from the legitimate state was not their goal.[4] In retaliation for Tenel Ka Djo's treachery, Darth Caedus abducted their daughter and kept her on the Anakin Solo, where she would be under heavy GAG protection. He threatened to kill Allana unless the Hapan Consortium reaffirmed its allegiance to the Galactic Alliance.[13]

The Galactic Alliance Guard later defended Darth Caedus on Coruscant when a Jedi strike team, led by Master Kyle Katarn, ambushed the Dark Lord and his military escort in the Underworld of Galactic City. Their first action was to incapacitate the GAG troopers by temporarily blinding them with dazzle-grenades. The Jedi were under orders to capture or kill the Dark Lord if necessary, but Caedus proved too powerful an opponent. He single-handedly defeated his opponents one at a time, and nearly killed Katarn with a lightsaber strike through the torso. By that time, reinforcements arrived just as the GAG troopers were regaining their sight. The remaining Jedi retreated, but not before Seha Dorvaldtelekinetically planted a homing beacon on Caedus's cloak. The device was later discovered by Lieutenant Patra Tebut, a GAG officer who served as part of the Anakin Solo's bridge crew. Impressed by the young woman's loyalty and efficiency, Caedus told Captain Kral Nevil to place a commendation on Tebut's permanent record.[13]

The Guard served alongside the GA Defense Force, under the command of Darth Caedus, at the Centerpoint Station, in which the Galactic Alliance, the Confederation, and the Jedi Coalition fought each other for control of the space facility. A team of GAG troopers and elite commandos was deployed to capture Centerpoint Station, but ultimately failed in their task when Rikel, a disgruntled civilian who blamed GAG for his wife's death, inadvertently destroyed the station while attempting to direct the facility's destructive capacity toward Coruscant. The explosion of Centerpoint Station destroyed numerous starships, killing many Alliance and Confederate troops in the process. Both Caedus and the Anakin Solo, however, were beyond the blast radius.[13]

During the chaos of the battle, Allana had been rescued from captivity by the Jedi Coalition. Upon realizing that she was no longer on his flagship, the Dark Lord rushed to the bridge and demanded an explanation. Lieutenant Tebut confessed that she unwittingly allowed a Jedi team to land in the Anakin Solo because they had transmitted the proper codes for docking procedures. Caedus, overwhelmed with rage, seized Tebut in a Force Grip and began choking her. Tebut pleaded for her life, professing her loyalty to Caedus. Captain Nevil tried to save the Lieutenant, but was swiftly shoved aside by a powerful Force Push from the Dark Lord. Accusing her of gross insubordination and gross misconduct in the field, Caedus Force Choked Tebut to death, and then slammed her on the ground, breaking numerous bones in her body. The entire bridge crew was stunned and far too petrified with fear to do anything except watch in horror as their Colonel murdered his subordinate in a manner resembling Darth Vader's preferred method of execution for incompetent officers.[13]

"Tahiri, in the long term, it's easier to kill a powerful enemy than it is an apparently weak one. If you bring down a giant, you're a hero. If you kill something weak—even if it has to die—then you endure contempt. Being willing to be despised to serve the common good…that's the mark of a true Sith. You're going to make a fine apprentice for me, Tahiri.""Oh, I'm…official, then."

―Darth Caedus and Tahiri Veila, confirming their relationship as master and apprentice[src]

Darth Caedus, Chief of State of the Galactic Alliance and Dark Lord of the Sith

In the weeks following Tebut's death, Caedus eventually regretted his outburst. Once his anger had subsided, he was shocked by his own actions and, for a while, he sometimes forgot that Tebut was no longer alive. He realized that her mistake was understandable and due to unforeseen circumstances that were beyond her control. In addition to the loss of a reliable officer, Caedus understood that his act of murder had traumatized the men and women who served under him.[10]

As word spread of Tebut's death, and the manner in how it happened, many within the Galactic Alliance Guard were conflicted, confused and unsure of how to respond to such an unexpected move by their leader. Some troopers, such as Nevil and Shevu, lost their respect for Caedus, while others pragmatically acknowledged that he was the most effective commanding officer that they ever had. Though he was further disappointed in himself for failing to manage his anger, Caedus ultimately viewed Tebut's death as a sacrifice that would force him to learn how to be a better and more responsible Sith Lord. He later confided in Captain Nevil about his regret over killing Tebut and tried to assure the GAG officer that he had nothing to fear; Nevil dutifully acknowledged his superior officer and continued to obey orders, but by then his loyalty to Caedus had been destroyed.[10]

Darth Caedus, having judged his cousin Ben Skywalker as a lost cause to the Sith, began to grudgingly transfer his expectations to the Jedi Knight Tahiri Veila. Although he originally intended to use her as a spy by taking advantage of her attachment to his deceased younger brother, Caedus steadily became more impressed by Veila. In order to further test her willingness to embrace a new life apart from the Jedi Order, Caedus brought Veila with him as the Anakin Solo traveled to Fondor, a planet that had betrayed the Galactic Alliance by siding with the Confederation. Upon reaching the planet, several Fondorian starfighters steadily approached the GAG Star Destroyer. Caedus then ordered the bridge crew to deactivate the vessel's shields, at which point he presented Veila with two choices—give the order to have the Anakin's weapons destroy the starfighters before they could attack, or withhold fire and risk getting many GAG personnel killed if the Fondorians chose to make the first strike. Veila hesitated at first, but then gave the order to kill the approaching enemy fighters. Once the Anakin Solo returned to Coruscant via hyperspace, Admiral Cha Niathal was displeased that her colleague had placed a military warship under the command of a civilian, despite the fact that Veila was a trained Jedi. At Niathal's suggestion, Caedus officially recruited Veila into the Galactic Alliance Guard, bestowing the rank of junior lieutenant upon her.[10]

During the Second Battle of Fondor, the GAG fought alongside the Galactic Alliance Defense Force, led by Admiral Cha Niathal, and a naval fleet of the Imperial Remnant, headed by Admiral Gilad Pellaeon. Utilizing the Force, Darth Caedus taxed the extent of his powers to deactivate Fondor's planetary shield. With the enemy's primary defense nuetralized, the Anakin Solo led the cavalry charge through the Fondorian starships in order to unleash a bombardment on the planet's surface. But while Caedus was distracted by leading the attack, Niathal undermined her colleague's plan by unilaterally accepting Fondor's surrender. In an underhanded attempt to force the Sith Lord out of power, or to at least exert her authority over him, Niathal ordered Caedus to cease and desist with his offensive strike against Fondor. Betrayed once again, Caedus denounced Niathal as a traitor, declared himself as the sole Chief of State and commanded the Alliance fleet to continue the fight. Niathal, in turn, declared Caedus a traitor and ordered the fleet to acknowledge her as its sole commander-in-chief.[10]

As internal chaos and utter confusion erupted due to the sudden collapse of the duumvirate, the Galactic Alliance Defense Force began fighting itself as various starships declared for either Caedus or Niathal. Pellaeon, an openly hostile critic of Caedus, declared his support for Niathal and directed the Imperial vessels to accept only her orders. Lieutenant Tahiri Veila, who had remained with Pellaeon on the Bloodfin as Caedus' liaison, tried to convince Pellaeon to not destroy the Galactic Alliance by betraying Caedus. When he refused, Veila fatally shot the Imperial Head of State through the chest. With Pellaeon dead, the senior members of the Moff Council assumed leadership of the Remnant and declared their support for Caedus, and thus commanded the Imperial fleet to fight alongside the forces of the true and legitimate Galactic Alliance.[10]

About two-thirds of the Defense Fleet threw their support behind Darth Caedus; the entire Galactic Alliance Guard itself remained loyal to its leader. By comparison, there was only a small minority of deserters that composed Niathal's faction. Thus, Niathal's scheme to overthrow her Joint Chief of State ultimately backfired. Although she knew that the GAG would never side with her against its colonel, she made a great error in judgment by underestimating Caedus' popularity within the military, as well as overestimating her own chances of assuming sole leadership simply because of her rank as an admiral.[10]

The Sith Lady Tahiri Veila, apprentice to the Sith Lord Darth Caedus

Much of the crew of the Bloodfin, however, was personally loyal to the late Pellaeon. The quick discovery of his assassination caused many Imperials to initiate a mutiny against the Moffs, all of whom had barricaded themselves on the bridge with Tahiri Veila. Contacting Veila from the Anakin Solo, Caedus congratulated the GAG lieutenant for single-handedly saving the entire Galactic Alliance. When Veila admitted her lack of enthusiasm in killing an old man, Caedus absolved her of the guilt that she felt and declared Veila as his Sith apprentice. At that point, he decided that he would be known only by his true name from that point on, thus dropping his facade as Jacen Solo once and for all. Refusing to lose his apprentice after finally discovering the right one, Caedus risked his own life by infiltrating the Bloodfin in a move to retrieve Veila. Although the Sith Lord and Lady sustained injuries during the rescue attempt, Caedus ultimately succeeded in bringing Veila back to the safety of the Anakin where he realized that they were destined to rule together as master and apprentice. Afterward, the Alliance and Remnant forces withdrew from Fondor. Although the battle was considered a defeat, the loss of Fondor was inconsequential to Caedus since the Rule of Two had been restored with Veila's ascension to the only remaining rank within the Sith Order.[10]

Returning to Coruscant, Caedus officially established himself as the sole Chief of State of the Galactic Alliance—his rule enforced by the GAG presence on the galactic capital. When Captain Shevu arrived in Caedus' new office, his report turned into an informal conversation in which Caedus revealed how he killed Mara Jade Skywalker and assumed his mantle as the Dark Lord of the Sith. Unknown to him at the time, however, Shevu had become a spy within the Galactic Alliance Guard for the Jedi Order. After secretly recording the conversation, he sent it to Ben Skywalker as proof of Caedus' direct involvement in Mara's death.[10]

In late 41 ABY, Captain Shevu rendezvoused with the Jedi Ben Skywalker, Leia Organa Solo and Jaina Solo On Coruscant to report on the activities and whereabouts of Chief of State Darth Caedus. However, during the meeting, the Jedi were followed by two Rodianspies of the Galactic Alliance Guard. Skywalker pretended to fight with Shevu and created appearance of resisting arrest, mainly so that Shevu could remain on Coruscant as the Jedi's spy.[6]

When he tried to escape from the area, his path was blocked by the Sith Lady Tahiri Veila, who was garbed in GAG armor and a black cloak, and thus resembled her master's appearance. A team of elite GAG commandos followed closely behind Veila. Skywalker briefly fought the Sith apprentice in a lightsaber duel until a squad of GAG troopers fired on him. While distracted with deflecting their blaster fire, Skywalker was knocked unconscious after being punched several times in the back by Veila. At the same time, Shevu was overwhelmed and captured by his former GAG comrades.[6]

Once Veila and her shock troops loaded Ben and the prone Shevu into a Doomsled, Jaina made her way over to Leia, noticing the two Rodians being loaded into a med-wagon. Using a few acting tricks and some Force Force suggestions on CSFofficersTobyl and Jat'ho, the Solos commandeered the med-wagon. Ejecting the hapless Bithpilot, they took to the skies after Veila. Going a different way initially, to throw off suspicion, once they were out of sight of the GAG troopsleds, Jaina shoved the throttle forward, and they sped after the Doomsled.[6]

The Galactic Alliance Guard was disbanded after the death of Darth Caedus.

As they began to close the distance with the GAG squad. When the two Rodians in the med-wagon began to wake up, Leia gave them some more sedatives to keep them unconscious. As the Jedi flew closer to the Galactic City SpeedPipe, following Veila, they became suspicious of the possibility that they were driving into a trap. They ultimately turned out to be correct when Veila, who had anticipated the rescue attempt, voice-activated a gas trap. Using various methods, Jaina and Leia survived the gas. With the entire capital world under GAG control, they reluctantly left Skywalker behind and escaped from Coruscant.[6]

Shortly afterward, Ben Skywalker was tortured several times during an interrogation session by a GAG securitydroid designated as SD-XX. Although the droid failed to discern any information regarding the Jedi Order's secret base, its methods were successful in breaking much of Skywalker's mental resolve, thus creating an opportunity for Tahiri Veila to take over the interrogation. Dressed in only a form-fitting GAG jumpsuit, Veila feigned kindness toward Skywalker by personally dressing his wounds in an attempt to seduce the adolescent Jedi prisoner. Although Skywalker was tempted for obvious reasons, as well as his fear of dying from SD-XX's style of questioning, he resisted Veila's advances by reminding himself that she was the Sith apprentice to the man who killed his mother.[6]

Lady Veila then changed her tactics by threatening to kill Lon Shevu, whom she electrocuted with Force lightning. However, she unintentionally killed the former captain by underestimating the strength of her own dark side powers. When she tried to resuscitate Shevu, Skywalker used the distraction to break free of his restraints. After throwing Veila into her GAG guards and knocking her out cold, Skywalker succeeded in escaping from Coruscant.[6]

Just before the last battle of the war, Darth Caedus and Tahiri Veila finally tracked the location of the Jedi Order's secret base to the planet Shedu Maad. Taking the Anakin Solo and a handful of Imperial warships in a final attempt to wipe out the Jedi subversives, the Sith Lord's forces were caught off guard by the Jedi's strong resistance and counterattack. While Veila led a team of Imperial shock troopers of the Moffs' Elite Guard, Jaina Solo infiltrated the badly damaged Anakin to confront and kill her twin brother. As the GAG suffered heavy losses alongside the rest of the Alliance fleet and their Imperial allies, Caedus was ultimately killed by Solo in a duel to the death. Veila, who became disillusioned with her master by this time, surrendered and was taken into Jedi custody.[6]

Without a strong leadership to turn the tide of defeat, the remaining GAG troopers that accompanied Darth Caedus were trapped on the Anakin Solo and forced to submit themselves to the victorious Jedi Coalition. In the aftermath of the battle, the Confederation also admitted defeat to the combined forces of the Galactic Alliance, the Imperial Remnant and the Jedi Order. As the Second Galactic Civil War ended, the Galactic Alliance Guard was disbanded while its former leader was succeeded by Natasi Daala, formerly of the Imperial Remnant, as the new Chief of State of the Galactic Alliance.[6] Many of the responsibilities of the former GAG were transferred to the newly-formed Galactic Alliance Security (GAS).[14] With the galaxy returning to a nominal state of peace, many of the surviving members of the GAG were forced to operate underground in Daala's government while continuing to hold a particular animosity against the Corellians.[7]